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Platform: PC
Genre: Action
Released: 1994
Publisher: Playmates Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Game Buy link: None available
Game Download link:
None available
Extras links:
Cheats
Review:
This is one of those 'old-skool' 2d side-on platformers. You don't see many decent platformers around on the PC nowadays (unless you count those stupid third- person Tomb Raider style things), and lets be honest, you didn't see that many back when this game was released. As the titular Earthworm Jim, you have to jump and leap around a bunch of huge levels with the ultimate aim of rescuing Princess What's-her-name. You are armed with a sexy red laser pistol, which is about as effective as tickling the enemy with a small feather. With any standard pistol, one single shot to the head would down any creature, yet with this pistol it takes a full three seconds of rapid fire to down a lousy crow. That's technology for ya. The upgrade you can get is slightly more satisfying, nuking everything in its path with a beam of ultimate destruction that simply screams "DIE! DIE! MUAHAHAHAHA!". Unfortunately you'll be lucky to get two or three of these in every level, and it's impossible to save them for later use. Which is a bit like giving a bunch of starving kids enough food to last them a year, but only 15 seconds to eat it. The fact that Jim's head can be used an a standard-issue Indiana Jones style whip will offer a slight consolation, and the opportunity to make jokes about Jim 'giving head' to Psycrow (which I shall of course avoid). This whip-head gives Jim opportunities for movement which no other character would be able to use, namely the ability to use it to swing on hooks and grab onto overhead cables. A further use is as a helicopter-head, where Jim whips it around in the style of a propellor, allowing him to float gently to the ground. All in all, Jim's long fleshy body is essentially a third limb, as well as a lethal weapon.
The music on this game is mainly average, and people downloading rips (suckers!) won't be able to enjoy it, cos it's on the CD. The reason I said 'mainly' average is the music from the "What the Heck?" level, featuring Evil the Cat. Starting off as your standard hellish orchestral lark, it works up to a glorious crecendo of sound then cuts off, to be replaced by really really dodgy music (effectively described as the sort of crap you'd get in a card shop), complete with S&M; style screams of people being tortured. I love it sooo much it hurts. Sound effects are average, very average. Your standard shooting of lasers and yelps of pain I'm afraid. Still, it's all done very well, and you can't fault it really. Graphics look reasonably 'groovy', with Jim himself the highlight (of course). The look of rage on Jim's face as he fights the recoil of his shitty little weapon is a joy to behold, and the animation is smooth and fluid. Nice. Last thing to touch on is the controls. They suck. There's no denying it, they absolutely suck. They are so unresponsive, it's like Jim has been modeled to be completely deaf. Often you'll hit the left arrow, only for Jim to continue steaming off at the right, leaving you no recourse but to scream at the spineless bastard as he soars gracefully into a big pile of spikes. The number of Jim's abilities only makes things more confusing, with one button for head stuff, one for shooting, one for jumping etc etc. The situation is improved slightly by using a gamepad, but then the game seems to slow down to a crawl. Stupid creature.
I suppose it also deserves mentioning that the last level is criminally impossible. If you had trouble getting to the end, you've got no chance of finishing the game. The last level is akin to completing all the previous levels, back to back, without losing one single piece bar of energy, and without shooting your pistol. Three times over. And without blinking. Oh, and after staying up for 48 hours watching reruns of Home and Away. Yes, it really is that hard. The trouble is, it's also that damned good. Earthworm Jim is one of those games that, if you get used to it, it's so much fun to play. If you don't watch out though, it'll drive you completely insane with its flaws, some of which are fairly major. It's your call I suppose. :)
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